Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-11-05
INTER-OCEAN
A STRONG ARGUMENT.
Waldo M. Potter's Speech on
the Division Question.
Facts and Figures that Must
Carry Conviction.
How South Dakota is Getting
All the Plums.
And How the North is Pay.
A STRONG ARGUMENT.

And How the North is Pay.
ing the Expenses.
A division meeting was held in this
city Friday evening at,which Hon. H.
W. Lord presided and Waldo NJ. Potter,
of Lamoure, made a strong speech.
MI. Potter promised his remarks by
saying that the question of division was
the most important question that had
ever been before the people Or that
would be before them for some time to
come. The great trouble was that the
people hadn't given the subject much
thought. The question was important
in a business sense, in q social sense and
from the standpoint Of good govern
ment. He believed that it was the de-
sire of nearly every citizen that we have
pure, clean, honest government, but
with the territory as it is now run, if ad-
mitted as a. whole, he 1.-THE speaker) had
no hope of even decent government.
Such q thing was impossible. There
must be a best size for a state. You
can have it too small or too large. There
was danger In both. He had seen
counties too large, causing inconven.
fence to those having business at the
county seat, and they would not 60.
The result was that business was neglec-
ted. This has been the case in Dakota.
People cannot afford to spend the mon
ey and time necessary to take them to
the capital to watch the legislators, or
to conventions to help lay the ground
work of good government. The result
was the legislature run wild with extrav-
agance and a few politicians, with their
pockets full OF paper proxies, run the
conventions to suit themselves. This
would always be so until the people
could take part in public affairs. 1t
will be more so in a big state than it has
been in a big territory.
In regard to our legislatures, the
speaker said that they had been crude,
careless and prohigate to the cost of the
territory. Last years appropriations
were not made because they were
needed, but because there was nothing
to restrain the members from running
wild with extravagance. The South Da-
kota members, being largely i n the ma.
jority, domineered over the North Da.
kota members, until the latter became
fearful that they would not be able to
carry out their schemes, and the final
result was a truce during which both
sections run their arms up to the sleeve.
holes into the treasury.
The people are so far away that no
one feels like going there to prevent such
extravaganza. Every city in South Da.
kota wants a public institution to be
maintained out of the public treasury.
This incites the representatives from
the north to get something for their con.
stltuency. The result is two public in.
stitutions are built, or some other double.
headed business is accomplished that
should not be accomplished.
The speaker then went OH to show
how North Dakota had been getting TIC
worst of it, and how she would continuy
to get the worst of it if there was al!
mission as q whole. "
The Dakota railroads are taxed on
their gross earnings. Two-thirds of this
tax is distributed to the counties through
which the roads pass, and the other one.
third goes into the territorial treasury.
Last year the railroads in North Da-
kota paid $104, 673.1 in such taxes, and
those in South Dakota $5S, "A. To
North Dakota counties was distributed
$69,7S2.lO, and to South Dakota coun-
ties $3s,94S.29. OF North Dakota money
from this source the territorial treasurer
received $34, s9l .05, while South Dakota
contributed but SIS, 475, 15-$l5,416 80
the most for North Dakota.
Again, the north is assessed at $685.
1927, and the south at SIS, $40, $3.50,
which divided by the population makes
South Dakota $2s7 per head and North
Dakota 1869 per head-$82 the most
for the North. Every one of the two
hundred and twenty-five thousand PEG.
pie in North Dakota pays his share Of
territorial tax on this assessment. II
each person in the north Is worth SS2
more than each person in the south,
this amount multiplied by the northern
population gives about SIS, 600, 900,
which being taxed at the average rate OF
"a mills makes about $43 5000 taxes
North Dakota pays on property assess.
ment more than her share per capita.
Now add this $4,000 to the SIS, 600 ex.
cess of railroad tax which North Dakota
pays, and we have $50 900 a year which
North Dakota pays more than her share
Of the public burdens.
Now let us see where the money goes,
The following are the territorial institu.
tions for which the last legislature ap'
proprlated money, and the amounts :